Chain-clamp.



A. V. ONEAL.

CHAIN CLAMP.

APPLIGATION FILED 0U'1.11, 19124 Patented Aug. 5, 1913,

ARTHUR v. ONEAL, oi ALEXAnb'ia'IA, "LoUI'siANA.

CHART-CLAMP.

Specification of Letters rarest.

Patented Aug. 5, 1913.

Application filed October 11, 1912. Serial No. 725,279.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ARTHUR V. ONEAL, a citizen of the United States,residing at Alexandria, in the parish of Rapides and State of Louisiana,have invented new and useful Improvements in Chain-Clamps, of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in chain clamps or grips and hasparticular application to a device of the class described which will befound useful on logging cars and the like.

In carrying out the present invention, it is my purpose to provide achain clamp or grip which will embody among other features, a pair ofjaws adapted to grip the chain at right angles to the length of thelatter so as to relieve the jaws of a direct strain, incident to theload on the chain, thereby insuring an effective grip upon the chain.

It is also my purpose to provide a chain clamp or grip which may beattached to the sills or bunkers of logging cars for the purpose ofholding the log chains and which will embrace the desired features ofsimplicity, efficiency and durability coupled with cheapness of cost inmanufacture and marketing.

lVith the above and other objects in view, the invention consists in theconstruction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter set forthin and falling within the scope of the claims.

In the accompanying drawing, Figure 1 is a fragmentary side elevation ofa logging car showing my invention applied thereto. Fig. 2 is alongitudinal sectional view through the clamp or grip, and Fig. 3 is adetail perspective View of the operating lever.

Referring now to the accompanying drawing in detail, A indicates thefloor of a logging car, while B designates the logs upon the car andarranged longitudinally thereof as usual, the logs being encircled bythe chains C. Each end of each chain may be held by one of my improvedclamps or grips, or one end of each chain may be fastened to an eye boltsecured to the bunker or sill of the car, while the opposite ends of thechains are held by means of my improved clamps or grips, the latterbeing suitably fastened to the respective bunker or sill.

My improved clamp or grip is indicated as an entirety by the letter Dand comprises in the present instance a base 1 provided at appropriatepoints with openings 2 designed to receive bolts or other suitablesecuring devices whereby the clamp may be fastened in applied position.Mounted upon the base 1 adjacent to one end thereof and approp'riatelyfastened to the base is a bumper 3 formed to provide a jaw f having arecess 5 in one end thereof. Also suitably secured to the base 1adjacent to the free end thereof and in alinement with the bumper 3 is acasing 6 cooperating with the adjacent face of the base to form a guideway housing a movable jaw 7 having one end confronting the recessed endof the jaw 4: and provided with a recess 8 similar to the recess 5 andcooperating therewith to receive one of the links of the respectivechain.

In order to move the movable jaw toward and away from the stationaryjaw, suitable means are employed. In the present instance, this means iscomposed of a saddle 9 suitably connected to or formed integral with thefree end of the movable jaw and designed to receive a bill or hook 10formed on one end of an operating lever 11 pivoted between the outerwall of the casing 6 and the adjacent face of the base 1 by means of apivot bolt 12.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawing, the construction, mode of operation and manner of employing myinvention will be readily apparent. To clamp or grip the chains so as tohold the logs upon the car, the respective end of each chain is disposedbetween the jaws of the respective clamp, the jaws being in openposition. After the desired tension or stress has been placed upon thechains, the operating lever 11 is swung about the pivot bolt 12 so thatthe nose 13 on the hook 10 contacts with the adjacent end of the movablejaw to slide the latter toward the fixed jaw, thereby gripping thechains, one of the links of the latter resting within the recesses 5 and8.

It will be noted that the jaws of the clamp are disposed at right anglesto the plane of the chains, thereby relieving the jaws and the operatinglever thereof of the influence of the load on the chains.

I claim:

1. A chain clamp comprising a base, a stationary jaw upon the base andprovided with a recess in one end thereof, a guide way upon the base, amovable jaw slidably disposed within said guide way and having a recessin one end thereof cooperating with the recess in the stationary jaw toreceive a chain link, and means for moving the movable jaw toward andaway from the' fixed jaw, said last-named means comprising a saddle onthe free end of the movable jaw, an operating lever pivoted upon thebase and provided with a bill adapted to engage the saddle to open thejaws and having a nose adapted to contact the adjacent end of themovable jaw to close the jaws.

2. A chain clamp comprising a base, a stationary jaw upon the base, aguide way 7; upon the base, a movable jaw slidably disposed withinsaidguide way and having one ARTHUR V. ONEAL.

WVitnesses:

ERNEST MisNn z, W. T. MCHAN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C.

